Mowing-machine.



A. GRIEVES.

MOWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION man DEC. 1, 1911.

1,16%,11 Patented Dee.21,1915.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH (IO-,WASHINGTON. D. c.

r as PTENT prion ALBERT GRIEVES, F SPRINGFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNOB T0INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER- COMPANY, A CGRPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

MOWING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 21, M915.

Application filed December 7, 1911. Serial No. 664,350.

2' '0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALBERT Gmnvns, acitizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county ofClark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in MowingMachines, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to mowing machines, and in particular to thosehaving the cutting apparatus thereof hinged to one end of a couplingframe that is pivotally connected at its opposite end with the wheeledframe of the machine whereby a rising or falling movement of the cuttingapparatus is permitted. In the class of machines indicated a liftinglever is mounted upon the wheeled frame and flexibly connected with thecoupling frame and finger bar in a manner to raise or lower the cuttingapparatus to a limited degree, and ahinge connection between thecoupling frame and the finger bar permits the latter to be folded tosubstantially a vertical position for transportation or other purposes,in which position it is usually secured by means of a latch mechanism orother means connecting it with a fixed part of the machine; the objectof my invention being to improve and simplify such securing means andalso to provide a mechanism operative in a dual capacity either as aconnecting member between the finger bar and the lifting lever in theregular operation of the machine, or operative as a connecting linkbetween the wheeled frame and the finger bar in a manner to secure thelatter in a vertical position. These objects are attained by means ofmechanism, one embodiment of which is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a mowingmachine having my invention forming a part thereof; Fig. 2 is a frontelevation of part of Fig. 1 designed to illustrate the operation of theraising and lowering mechanism connected with the coupling frame and thefinger bar during the regular operation'of the machine; Fig. 3represents the position of the same parts when the finger bar is raisedto substantially a vertical position; and Fig. 4 is a top plan view ofpart of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2.

The same reference characters designate like parts throughout theseveral views.

1 represents the wheeled frame of the machine, 2 one of the carryingwheels, 3 the draft tongue secured to the wheeled frame, a a draftbracket secured to the tongue, 5 a coupling frame having the stubblewardend thereof pivotally connected with the wheeled frame, 6 a draft linkconnecting the draft bracket with said coupling frame, 7 a coupling yokecarried by the coupling frame and adapted to rock thereon, 8 an lnnershoe connected with the yoke by means of hinge pins 9 arranged in ahorizontal plane and in a fore and aft direction, 10 a finger bar havingits inner end secured to said shoe, 11 a vertically arranged. armsecured to said shoe, 12a lifting lever pivotally mounted upon thewheeled frame of the machine and having a forwardly extending arm 13,provided with an eye portion 14 whereby a connection is made with theupper end of the link 15, the lower end of the link being connected withan arm 16 formingpart of a bell crank lever 17 that is pivotallyconnected with the coupling frame by means of a pin 18, said leverhaving a toe portion that contacts with a fixed part of the structure ina manner limiting a swinging movement thereof in one direction. Theparts as described above are common to the class of machines indicated.19 represents the remaining arm of the bell crank lever 17 that isprovided with a hook 20 at the stubbleward end thereof that is openstubbleward and provided with a laterally projecting eye member 21, atthe front side thereof at right angles with the arm 19 and in thedirection of the line of draft, said eye member being adapted toslidably receive the body portion of a link or latch 22 that is providedwith a hook portionat one end thereof that engages with the hook 20 whenthe cutting apparatus is in an operative position, the opposite end ofthe link 22 being pivotallv connected with the vertical member 11 of theshoe 8.

When the machine is in operation, with the finger bar in a horizontalposition rela tive to the wheeled frame and controlled by the hand levermechanism, the link 22 will have the hooked end thereof engaging withhook 20 that is disposed at right angles with the line of draft of themachine in a manner to sustain the finger bar in any range of itsmovement caused by a manipulation of the lifting lever, as shown in Fig.2.

When it is desired to adjust the finger bar to a vertical position thecoupling frame is first raised to the position shown by dotted lines inFig. :2 by means of the lifting lever, and when the finger bar is turnedto substantially a vertical position as shown in Fig. 3, which may bedone by the operator raising the grainward end thereof independent ofthe lifting lever, the link 22 will slide in a stubbleward directionthrough the eye 21, the portion of the eye in the direction of the lineof draft engaging with the body of the link in a manner preventing anylateral swing thereof that would permit of its being released from theeye, and the toe portion 15 of the bell crank lever prevents any upwardswing of arm 16.

; 23 represents-a clip secured to the stubbleward side of the drafttongue by means of a bolt 24: received by a slotted opening in the bodyof the clip; in a manner permitting an adjustment of the clip verticallyupon the tongue, the clip being provided at its lower end with adepending hook portion adapted to receive the hooked end of the link 22that.

may be guided bythe hand of the operatorin a manner securing the fingerbar in a ver-' tical position, as shown in Fig. 3.

To return the cutting apparatus from the vertical and inoperativeposition-to an operative one, the operator first moves the upper end ofthe cutter bar toward the wheeled frame by hand, independent of thelifting lever mechanism, until the hooked. end of the link 22,1nay bedisengaged from the clip 23.

While I have in this application specifically described one embodimentwhich my invention may assume in practice it is to be understood thatthe form thereof shown herein is used for purposes of illustration, andmay be modified without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is:

1. In a mowing machine, a coupling frame, a finger bar operativelyconnected thereto, a transversely disposed link carried on said fingerbar, and link supporting and guiding means operatively connected to saidv, coupling frame slidably receiving the free end of said link. i

2. In a mowing machine, a coupling frame, a finger bar operativelyconnected thereto, a transversely disposed link pivotally connected tosaid finger bar, and link supporting means operatively connected to saidcoupling frame slidably receiving the free end of said link and limitingthe bodily movement thereof in'one direction.

3. In a mowing machine, a coupling frame, a finger bar operativelyconnected thereto, a transversely disposed link pivotally connected tosaid finger bar, and means operatively connected to said coupling framefor permitting free bodily movement of said link relatively thereto whensaid finger bar is moved in opposite directions and limiting themovement thereof in one direction.

4L. In a mowing machine, a coupling frame, a finger bar operativelyconnected thereto, a transversely disposed latch member carried 011 saidfinger bar, and latch supporting means on said coupling frame forguiding and limiting the movement of said latch member with respectthereto when said finger bar is moved independently of said couplingframe.

5. In a mowing machine, a machine frame, a coupling frame operativelyconnected thereto, means on said machine frame for raising and loweringsaid coupling frame, a finger bar operativcly connected to said couplingframe, a transversely disposed link pivotally connected to said lingerbar, and supplemental link supporting means *arried on said raising andlowering means for guiding and limiting said link in its movement assaid finger bar is moved independently of said coupling frame.

6. In a mowing machine, a machine frame, a coupling frame adjustablymounted thereon, a finger bar adjustably mounted on said coupling frame,lever mechanism for adjusting said coupling frame, a supporting memberconnected to said machine frame and means for holding said linger bar inposition with respect to said coupling frame when the latter is moved,said means including a latch member engageable with said supportingmember when said finger bar is moved independently of said couplingframe.

7 In a mowing machine, a machine frame, a coupling frame adjustablymounted thereon, a finger bar adjustably mounted on said coupling frame,lifting mechanism for adjusting said coupling frame, a supporting memberconnected to said machine frame, means carried by said finger barengageable with said supporting member when said finger bar is movedindependently of said coupling frame in one direction, and means on saidcoupling frame coiiperating with. said last mentioned means andautomatically limiting the movement of said finger bar with respect tosaid coupling frame when said bar is released from said supportingmember.

8. In a mowing machine, a machine frame, a coupling frame adjustablewith respect thereto, a finger bar carried by said coupling frame andmovable independently thereof, lever mechanism for adjusting saidcoupling frame, a supporting member connected to said machine frame andmeans including a latch for holding said finger bar in position withrespect to said coimling frame during movement of the latter, said latchbeing engageable with said supporting member to hold the finger bar inposition with respect to said machine frame when said bar is movedindependently of said coupling frame.

9. In a mowing machine, a machine frame, a coupling frame adjustablewith respect thereto, a finger bar carried by said coupling frame andmovable independently thereof, lever mechanism for adjusting saidcoupling frame, a su iiporting member connected to said machine frame,and means including a single liding latch member pivoted on said fingerbar forholding said finger bar in position with respect to said couplingframe as the latter is raised, said latch member being engagcable withsaid sup porting member when said finger bar is moved independently ofsaid coupling frame and automatically resuming its original functionwhen released from said support ing member.

10. In a mowing machine, a machine frame, a coupling frame adj ustablymounted thereon, a finger bar adjustably mounted on aid coupling frame,means for adjusting said coupling frame, a supporting member connectedto said machine frame and means including a latch operatively connectedbetween said finger bar and said coupling frame transmitting themovement of the latter to said fingerbar when said coupling frame israisedand operable when the linger bar is moved independently of saidcoupling frame to engage said supporting member to hold said finger barin po sition.

11. In a mowing machine, a machine frame, a coupling frame adjustablymounted thereon, a finger bar pivotally attached to said coupling frame,an adjusting lever carried on said machine frame, a lever pivoted onsaid coupling frame, a link 0011- nection intermediate said adjustinglever and said last mentioned lever, and a sliding latch pivotallyconnected to said finger bar and guided and limited in its movement bythe lever on said coupling frame.

12,111 a mowing machine, a machine frame, a coupling frame adjustablycarried thereby, a finger bar carried. by said coupling frame, anadjusting lever for said coupling frame carried on said machine frame, abell crank lever carried on said coupling frame pivotally connected tosaid adjusting lever, and a latch carried by said linger bar andadjustable with respect to said bell crank and guided and limited in itsmovement by the latter.

13. In a mowing machine, a machine frame, a rising and falling couplingframe carried thereon, a finger bar carried by said coupling frame,raising and lowering mechanism for said coupling frame carried on saidmachine frame and including a lever pivoted on said coupling frame, asliding link connection pivotally connected to said finger bar andguided and limited in its movement by the lever on said coupling frame,and means on said last mentioned lever for limiting its movement withrespect to the co'u 'iling frame.

l-l. in a mowing machine, a machineframe, a coupling frame adjustablymounted. thereon, a finger bar pivotally attached to said couplingframe, an adjusting lever carried on said machine frame, a bell cranklever pivoted on said coupling frame, a link connection intermediatesaid adjusting lever and said bell crank lever. a sliding latchpivotally connected to said finger bar and guided and limited in itsmovement by said bell crank lever, and a hook carried on said machineframe engageable by said latch when said finger bar is moved in onedirection. indcpei'idently of said. coupling frame.

15. In a mowing machine, a machine frame, a coupling frame pivotallymounted beneath the same, a finger bar carried on said coupling bar andindependently adjustable with respect thereto, an adjusting lever forsaid coupling frame and finger bar carried on. said machine frame, abell crank lever pivoted on said coupling frame having a hook on one endthereof and a guide adjacent the same, a link connected between saidadjusting lever and said bell crank lever, and a link having one endpivotally connected to said finger bar and the other slidable throughthe guide in said bell crank lever to and from engaging position withthe hook on said bell crank lever.

16. In a mowing machine, a machine frame, a coupling frame pivotallymounted beneath the same, a finger bar carried on said coupling bar andindependently movable with respect thereto, an adjusting lever for saidcoupling frame and finger bar carried on said machine frame, a bellcrank lever pivoted on said coupling frame having a hook on one endthereof and a guide adjacent the same, a link connected between saidadjusting lever and said bell crank lever, a supporting member connectedto said machine frame, and a link having one end pivotally connected tosaid finger bar and the other slidable through the guide in said bellcrank lever to and from engaging position with the hook on said bellcrank lever, said link having a hook shaped end engageable with saidsupporting member to position the finger bar with respect thereto whenthe latter is moved to its up position.

17. A mowing machine including, in combination, a wheeled frame, arising and falling coupling frame having one end thereof pivotallyconnected with said wheeled frame, a finger bar hinged to said couplingframe in a manner permitting said bar to be raised to substantially avertical position, means for raising and lowering said coupling framerelative to said wheeled frame, said means including a lifting leverpivotally'mounted upon said wheeled frame, a bell crank lever pivotallymounted upon said coupling frame, a link connection between said handlever and one arm of the said bell crank lever, a link having one endconnected with said finger bar and the body portion thereof slidablyreceived by an opening in the remaining arm of said bell crank lever ina manner permitting said finger bar to swing to substantially a verticalposition, the opposite end thereof being provided with a hook adapted toengage with the wall of the opening in said arm when said finger bar islowered to a horizontal position, and means whereby said hook may beconnected with a fixed part of the machine when said finger bar israised to a vertical position.

18. A mowing machine including, in combination, a wheeled frame, arising and falling coupling frame having one end thereof pivotallyconnected with said wheeled frame, a finger bar hinged to said couplingframe in a manner permitting said bar to be raised to substantially avertical position,

means for raising and lowering said coupling frame relative to saidwheeled frame,

said means including a lifting lever pivotally mounted upon said wheeledframe, a bell crank lever pivotally mounted upon said coupling frame ina. manner having a limited rocking movement in one direction, a linkconnection between said hand lever and one arm of said bell crank lever,a link having one end thereof connected with said linger bar and thebody portion thereof slidably received by an opening in the remainingarm of said bell crank lever in a manner permitting said finger bar toswing to substantially a vertical position, the opposite end of saidlink being provided with a hook adapted to engage with the wall ofCopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

